Taronga Zoo – Giraffe © Malcolm Williams
Part of our Innovative Itineraries series, this itinerary was created by Senior Travel Designer Kylie Damen. Invigorate your child within, and get hands-on with a range of immersive and educational adventures while traversing the highlights of Australia’s East Coast.
This itinerary was created by one of our Senior Travel Designers, Kylie Damen for a young family seeking an action-packed, wildlife-filled adventure at the major destinations along the East Coast: Melbourne, the Daintree Rainforest, and Sydney. Kylie’s zest for immersive, experiential travel comes to life throughout this journey, facilitated through her use of hand-picked quality guides in each destination.
Built around the brief of dynamic and energetic luxury Australian experiences, but with enough flexibility to relax and unwind each day, Kylie’s itinerary is designed to bring her travellers closer to each other as they grow closer to the world around them. A shining example of a multi-destination itinerary made for The Tailor, this journey showcases some of Australia’s most sought-after locations, as well as Kylie’s ability to match a range of scheduled and impromptu activities to her clients’ personal interests.
The famous East Coast of Australia spreads from the tip of Queensland down the Sunshine Coast, past New South Wales’ most popular beachside getaways and Sydney, all the way down to Melbourne in Victoria. This enormous stretch of land offers several of the major quintessential Australian experiences that most travellers seek: experiences with Australia’s iconic wildlife, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, discovering authentic Aboriginal Experiences, and visiting the ultra-popular metropolis Sydney. This journey seamlessly threads these touchstones together, with abundant up-close-and-personal wildlife opportunities, local Aboriginal cultural experiences specific to each region, a boat charter venturing out on the Great Barrier Reef, and culminating with a luxurious stay in the heart of Sydney.
Combining exceptional educational experiences with plenty of time to relax, this itinerary’s adventures will delight children of all ages.
“Creating special memories is what we do best, and this itinerary exemplifies this philosophy. Hitting the main Australian attractions but with plenty of surprises along the way, this journey keeps everyone engaged with a level of adventure to suit them.”
One of Australia’s well-beloved cultural hubs, Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and a cultural touchstone filled with art, history, culture, and spectacular coffee. Ease into your stay with style with a VIP greeting at the airport by your local host, and hop straight into your private luxury vehicle. Sit back and relax as you travel over the mighty Yarra River to your accommodation.
One of the cities’ most iconic hotels, the Crown Towers Melbourne offers luxurious suites with sweeping views and superb five-star hospitality. Admire the panoramic views of the Yarra River from your Tower Suite, which boasts a generous amount of space for the whole family with two premium bedrooms and bathrooms, a formal dining area, and separate lounge. There will be time each evening to unwind and luxuriate here—but during the day there’s plenty to explore.
Once you’ve settled in and freshened up, you’ll delve head-first into a Melbourne cultural excursion with your luxury local guides. You’ll begin your trip with the Womin Djeka (Welcome to Melbourne) tour, including a Welcome to Country on the cultural lands of the Kulin Nation, conducted by a local Aboriginal guide. Over the next several days, you’ll explore Melbourne and the surrounding regional areas of Victoria, including daytrips along the iconic Great Ocean Road and Mornington Peninsula. You’ll get hands-on with a variety of Victorian attractions: a street art session in the iconic Hosier Lane, swimming alongside dolphins at Port Phillip Bay, a scenic cruise along the Yarra River, and an evening tour viewing the adorable St. Kilda penguins. Each day you’ll taste the rich flavours of Melbourne with a range of picnic lunches and restaurant dinners. Enjoy a culinary journey through buffet options in Parisian-style tea-rooms, trendy pan-Asian restaurants, contemporary Australian-fusion options, and many more.
With everything organised for you, all you have to do is relax and enjoy the moment all the way up to your departure, with a fully-organised and escorted private transfer to your airport terminal. Departing Melbourne on a mid-morning flight, watch the sunlight stretch across the outback landscapes, as you depart from cool climate Melbourne up to tropical Cairns.
Destination 1: Victoria has accommodation for four nights at Crown Towers Melbourne in a Tower Suite.
Northern Queensland runs on the languid time of the tropics. With a late morning touch-down in Cairns, you’ll settle into your private limousine at the airport, and take a moment to unwind before adventuring into the precipice where World Heritage-listed areas meet—the ancient Daintree Rainforest in the Wet Tropics, and the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef.
Climb into the canopy at Silky Oaks Lodge and melt into their Billabong Suite, your accommodation for the next several nights. Offering a spacious lounge and extensive deck with all the toys to immerse you into the tropical ambience of the Daintree, your suite includes a hammock, daybed and edgeless plunge pool overlooking the Mossman River. Freshen up with a soak in the open-air bathtub hidden away on your private deck for a premium rainforest bathing experience, before diving into adventure with your local private guides.
You’ll delve deep into the culture and history of the local Kuku Yalanji people with a guided walk through the rainforest with a local Aboriginal Elder. You’ll be shown modern day healing techniques embedded with the natural energy of the region, discover two worlds in one where the Rainforest meets the Reef, and enjoy a private wildlife tour including a koala cuddle, followed by a river drift snorkelling tour in the Mossman River. Be sure to keep an eye out for birdlife, crocodiles, and other reptiles lazing about in the sun!
No trip to Queensland would be complete without a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Board your private charter boat after a Welcome to Country by a local Aboriginal group, relax on the deck, and sit down with your guides to enjoy local Aboriginal music and stories while floating along the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Then, organised in secret by Kylie, jump off the boat for a personalised treasure hunt experience amongst the sand quays of the Reef. Throughout your adventures, you’ll be fuelled by food foraged, grown and prepared from the region with a range of seafood, nuts, chocolate, coffee and tropical fruits melded into a contemporary Australian blend, reflecting Asian influences with traditional Aboriginal flavours: sand crab and prawn, charcuterie, dukkah-crusted barramundi, Asian greens and other tropical bites. Be sure to try the seasonal exotic flavours of a Daintree ice-cream to cool you off.
Ancient, complex, and remarkable—the tropical north of Queensland offers some of the world’s most biological diversity in the world, hidden within the breathtaking primordial landscapes. Offering deep blends of history, nature, and culture alike, the Daintree is a magnificent spot to absorb some of Australia’s most unique experiences with hands-on activities.
Destination 2: Daintree Rainforest has accommodation for four nights at Silky Oaks Lodge in a Billabong Suite.
Ease yourself out of tropical time with a late-morning flight out of Cairns. After a luxury transfer to the airport, you’ll bid adieu to the Daintree and embark to one of the world’s finest metropolises, Sydney.
You’ll travel north to the city’s cultural heart along the Harbour, arriving at your home for the next several nights—The Langham. Settle into your One Bedroom Suite interconnecting with a Deluxe City King Room, and enjoy sprawling views over the Western Harbour and city skyline in the heart of the Rocks District. Spend your afternoon and your next few evenings relaxing in your lavish accommodation, admiring its high-domed ceilings, and clean and bright Parisian styling with rich wood-panelled walls.
There’s no better way to begin a stay in Sydney than with the iconic Twilight Bridge Climb of the Harbour Bridge. Bask in the sight of the Golden Hour with panoramic views across the Harbour and the city itself. Over the next few days, you’ll be hosted by passionate local Sydneysiders who will take you out on a range of tours, including: the Best of Sydney by road and by walking; a full day Northern Beaches tour including kayaking and historic dress-up while discovering the history of the area; a private, professionally-led surf lesson on Manly Beach; and a cruise upon their private vessel Iluka, followed by a full Sydney Harbour National Park and Taronga Zoo tour to visit the home of more than 4,000 unique animals from across the globe. Your dining options will take you through a collection of rooftop restaurants, elegant bistros, homecooked lunches, and grazing platters enjoyed upon the water.
As your journey winds down, there’s no better way to neatly encapsulate the magic, allure, and appeal of Oceania’s largest city than with a long evening at one of the region’s finest restaurants. Soak up rooftop views of the iconic Harbour and city skyline, flanked by towering skyscrapers, while enjoying the region’s finest cuisines. Enjoy a late checkout the next morning, and transfer via luxury vehicle to receive VIP service at Sydney Airport, complete with greeter to get you to your flight on time—onwards to your next destination, or back home to reflect and share what you’ve experienced.
Destination 3: Sydney has accommodation for four nights at The Langham in a Deluxe City King Room with interconnecting One Bedroom Suite.
“This expedition went above and beyond—they hit all the main attractions but the differences kept it interesting. Not a single day was off the shelf, and combining education and entertainment left a lot of flexibility, adventure, and fun for the whole family—for children of all ages!”
The abundance of adventure along the East Coast has created a well-deserved reputation for offering many different dynamic and quintessentially Australian experiences. Geographically and culturally diverse, this stretch encompasses several of Australia’s major attractions and is traversed spectacularly through the use of qualified local guides and neatly-organised transfers, keeping you in the action without taking you too far afield. Popular amongst all kinds of travellers, there’s something across these states to compel you—with a matching guide to uncover the mysteries, delve deeper, and develop a greater understanding with education experiences outside of a classroom.
Which is your favourite state on the East Coast? Which Australian cultural touchstone compels you? Be sure to let us know.
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